


Ride On

by ShenanigansEnsue



Series: Shenanigans and Imagines [13]
Category: The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Angst, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Fluff, Friendship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 15:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11992563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShenanigansEnsue/pseuds/ShenanigansEnsue
Summary: Based on Prompt: Reader, Red Harvest, and Billy Rocks all end up meeting through Ms. Cullen's quest for revenge, and along the way they become close. (Romantic/Platonic, you decide where to go)





	Ride On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria_and_Aguilars_Codex_1492/gifts).



            Sam, Goodnight, Billy, Faraday, Vasquez, Mrs. Cullen, and Teddy Q., rode their horses away from the small outpost where they had hoped to recruit Jack Horne.  Granted, they had found the man, in a rather unorthodox sense, but it was clear he wouldn’t be joining them on their mission.

            Sam led the procession, thinking hard about what to do next.  They still have five men, but even with the farmers of Rose Creek possibly coming to their aid, they were still out gunned.  He wracked his brain for another name who could possibly help them.   

            “Don’t think so hard, you’ll pull a muscle,” Goodnight said, riding up alongside him.

            Sam gave a quick smile in acknowledgement.

            “Just working out the odds,” Sam said.  “It’s not looking all that promising.”

            “I might have a way of getting them a little better.”

            Sam turned to his friend with a surprised look.

            “Been talking to Billy,” Goodnight continued.  “Heard, Y/F/N Y/L/N has been seen around here.”

            Sam paused a moment as he tried to place the name to a face, but came up empty.  He did recall the name being mentioned a few times, usually followed by some variation of “gunslinger” and “god damn bitch”.

            “Heard the name,” Sam said.  “You meet her?”  

            “Challenged Billy to an alley fight a few years back,” Goodnight said, giving a faint smile at the memory. “Insisted on doing it for real, but not to the death.  Said something along the lines of “wounds are more honest then eyes”, anyway. Billy got her in the arm and she got him in the shoulder for good measure. Everyone called it a draw, but she insisted Billy won on account he brought a knife to a gun fight.”

            Sam raised an eyebrow, glancing back at the man in question behind them.  

            “He isn’t sore about it, is he?”

            Goodnight shook his head.

            “Nah, both were good sports. I even offered her to join us, but she said she liked working on her own.”

            Sam nodded, thinking over the image Goodnight was painting in his mind.  Obvious recklessness or not, clearly Goodnight was impressed with her fighting and they needed all the help they could get.    

            “Reliable?” he asked.

            “She’ll finish any job she’s hired to,” Goodnight said. “And apparently, she’s broke.”

            Sam gave a small smile.

            “Well, let’s go pay her a visit.”

* * *

 

            You felt the sweat seep down your back as you shoveled the used hay and manure into an empty wheel barrel.  

            You had been in less dignified positions, but you were struggling to remember when. The farmer who owned the place offered you food and a place to sleep so long as you cleaned out his stables. You couldn’t exactly say no, and it certainly could have been worse. Of course, that didn’t stop the smell from getting to you.

            You were coming onto the last stall when you heard the sound of the barn doors open, followed by three sets of footsteps.  Your back stiffened as you ever so carefully glanced at your gun belt handing off the pen wall.

            “Y/F/N Y/L/N, as I live and breathe.  What is a city slicker like you doing in a place like this?”

            You the tension in your back instantly relaxed as you turned toward the voice.

            “Goodnight Robicheaux,” you greeted.  “You know me, I only call for the finest of establishments.”

            He laughed at that and you couldn’t help a smile from spreading across your face. 

To your surprise Billy was nowhere in sight.  Instead, there were two others with him that you didn’t recognize; a tall black man and a red-haired woman.

            “Where’s Billy,” you asked, before getting back to work.   

            “He’s with our other associates,” Goodnight said. “In the meantime, Y/F/N this is Mrs. Emma Cullen and Mr. Sam Chisolm, duly sword warrant officer of Wichita, Kansas, Nebraska and seven other states.  Mrs. Cullen, Sam, this is Y/F/N Y/L/N.”

“Howdy,” you said, shooting questioning eye to Chisolm. “Is there any reason you felt the need to bring in a warrant officer?”

            Chisolm gave you an odd look half way between serious and joking.

            “You do something I should be arresting you for,” he asked.

            You shook your head.

            “Besides being broke not much,” you said. “Don’t tell me that’s against the law now.”

            “Not that I know of,” he said. “That’s actually what we came to talk to you about.  We got a job for you, if you’re interested.  Chasing off a man name of Bartholomew Bogue out of a town call Rose Creek.”

            You paused, shovel mid-air at the name.

 “Heard of him?” Sam asked.

            “Don’t know anyone around here who hasn’t,” you said, dumping the contents into the barrel. “Any particular reason you feel the need to drive him off.”

            “He killed my husband,” Mrs. Cullen said, “killed several others and won’t stop there unless we give up our homes.”

            You stopped your work to look her over carefully. You noted the fresh grief in her eyes, and the fire that you recognized as the need for revenge.  She was driven, you’d give her that.

            “I’m sorry for your loss,” you said. “How many men?”

            “Five so far,” Sam said, “unless you join.”

            You stared at him in momentary disbelief.

            “Five?” you repeated. “Does that include her?”

            You made a vague gesture towards Mrs. Cullen which she did not take lightly.

            “No,” she said sternly, “but I still aim to fight.” 

            You let out a dry laugh, shaking your head.

            “I admire your grit, but if all you wanted was for me to pull out my gun and shoot myself, you coulda just asked.”

            You turned away from the group and began to shovel once more as a symbolic end to your conversation.

            “Oh c’mon cher, you’ve beaten worse odds,” Goodnight said. “Like that skirmish in Tombstone.”

            “Well, they paid me $600 for that one,” you said not bothering to look up.

            “What about that business over the border?”

            “Paid me $800 for that one.”

            “You cost a lot,” Mrs. Cullen said bitterly.

            “Yeah,” you said, taking a pause as you turned to look at them. “That’s right I cost a lot.”

            You went back to work, hoping that maybe this time they would understand you weren’t interested.

            “They pay is $20,” Sam said.

            You stopped again, looking at all of them in stunned silence.  This entire endeavor was getting more and more ridiculous every time someone opened their mouth.  You looked to Goodnight, as a silent hope that maybe somebody was pulling your leg.  Goodnight looked right back, giving a subtle shrug of the shoulders.  They were being completely serious.

            Sam didn’t give you a chance to respond as he turned to walk away, followed Goodnight, and Mrs. Cullen followed. 

            You let them go, shaking your head before looking back at the stall, but you hesitated.  You looked over the hay, and the shit, and remembered the sick feeling in your stomach from not having eaten in about two days.  You thought about the odds of six men against an army and a rush of excitement went through you.

            You turned to their retreating backs. 

            “$20?”

            They all paused at looked at you expectantly.

            “Right now, that’s a lot,” you said, throwing down you shovel.

            Mrs. Cullen looked surprised at your answer.

            “You’ll come?”

            “Room and board included?” you asked, placing on your gun belt.

            She gave a confirming nod.

            “Then yeah.  Shootin’ folks that are asking for it is better than shoveling shit anyway.  And besides, Billy and I need a rematch.”

            You caught Sam giving Goodnight a questioning glance.  If his face was any indication, he was starting to have second thoughts on having you along.  Goodnight waved him down, but you had a feeling Goodnight was going to be your unofficial handler for this little expedition.

            Soon enough your horse saddled and ready to go after some quick negotiations with the farmer about your breakfast.   You were probably going to regret this, but as you left the small farm behind, you realized you didn’t care.  The familiar thrill settled in as you rode on, filling you with a sense of purpose you hadn’t felt in months.  Trouble was coming your way, and Lord, how you had missed it.  

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, so I decided to go with Billy and the Reader with being friends and slow burn for Red Harvest and the Reader. Billy and Goodnight are totally married, and I'm sorry I can't break that up. I love them too much. 
> 
> I have no set schedule for new chapters, as I do have other request I'm working through as well as school. So, please bare with me. 
> 
> If you liked this check out my tumblr @https://shenanigans-and-imagines.tumblr.com/
> 
> Please leave a Comment and Kudos if you are so inclined.


End file.
